Gardening a Year-Round Project

One might think that the cold, rainy weather would give us all a break from gardening duties at Perry Wellness Center. But year-round maintenance is required for many of our outdoor projects, including our raised garden beds. The beds, originally built with a grant from Agrium, require additional attention due to their raised walls. They are subject to greater loss of soil and moisture due to their exposure to the elements.

When peers first selected their personal garden beds, they were made aware that daily maintenance would be required. The entire cultivation cycle has been a learning experience for the group of peers, who received additional training through the grant. Classes included such specific topics as seed selection, soil blends, proper lighting, seed planting depths, and insect protection.

“These raised beds have been a great learning experience for some of our peers,” PWC founder and director Stuart Perry notes. “It is also fun to see the excitement when the seeds sprout. It is fun for all of us!“

Stuart believes that the greatest value of the experience is the pride that peers take in their work and in helping to feed their families and others.

Grover Thornton is a conscientious peer who makes a point to check the moisture level of all plants on the PWC campus. In the photo above, Grover braves the cold and carefully gives the raised garden beds a light watering.